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The Fed Ex Cup Playoffs

The FedEx Cup Playoffs start tomorrow at the Barclay’s. This modified elimination style competition will see one player raise the FedEx Cup over their head in four weeks. The real prize is the 10 million dollars that the 2015 FedEx Champion will pocket for just playing golf!

The FedEx Cup is an interesting golf competition because of the “play well before – play well now – move on” format. At the Barclay’s, all 125 players will start, but only 100 players will move on to the next event at the Deutsche Bank Championship. The third week at the BMW championship will only have 70 players competing; then at the TOUR Championship, 30 players will be left to vie for the 10 million dollar grand prize.

I have discussed the merits of changing the FedEx Cup format to make it more exciting and I believe that a modified NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship format would be fun. Here is what I am thinking:

All points are finished. Everyone plays straight up.

Create 2 pools of 64 players (top 128 from the FedEx Standings).

At the Barclay’s only 40 from each pool move on to the Deutsche Bank Championship (80 players).

At the Deutsche on the top 25 from each pool make it to the BMW Championships. (50 players).

Combine the pools and the top 50 players make it to the Tour Championship.

Winner of the Tour Championship is the crown FedEx Cup Playoff Champion and wins the 10 million dollars!

This may seem like a strange system, but in the playoffs of any sport, all accumulated scores from previous matches are removed and everyone starts on a level playing field. Why not golf?

I enjoy watching the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. There is always exciting golf to be seen, however over the years past (like when Vijay Singh won the playoffs before the Tour Championship), the drama of players slugging it out to the bitter end was just not there. This year should be interesting with all the young lions in the field, but if Jordan Spieth wins The Barclay’s, the sprint for 10 million dollars could be over early.

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7 thoughts on “The Fed Ex Cup Playoffs”

Jim, I could not agree more. When the 2nd ranked player in the world skips the first playoff event because it’s not needed to win, there is something seriously wrong. The only way you solve is to start fresh with the first tournament and work it via single elimination. I am not that juiced to watch this thing; in fact, I think I’ll be playing Sunday afternoon!

Will be interesting to watch this year. Not sure 10 mil is right, but these these guys are all millionaires anyway, so you need something special to get them away from their business office for the day.

I like watching the playoffs, but I’d like to see a format change. It is difficult to follow what exactly is at stake for a player at any given time. I’d like to see a version of the US Am, where stroke play qualifies you for a match play finale. Head to head for 10 mill? Now that’s good TV! Of course, networks would fear upsets if top tier guys don’t make the final, so I can’t see it realistically happening. Your idea is interesting, one I haven’t heard yet!